New engineering methods turn medical scans into
anatomical replicas
Medical scans give us an idea of what is happening to our bodies. Now a
University of Sussex engineer has developed a way of using these scans to make
accurate plastic replicas of our insides.
Dr Panos Diamantopoulos is confident that his threedimensional models, manufactured by a process
known as rapid prototyping, will become invaluable
tools to health professionals for diagnosis and
surgical procedures and in the design of medical
appliances.
"Medical anatomical models have been demonstrated
to help understanding and awareness of medical
problems," he says. "They can also contribute to
faster intervention, reduce operation time, minimise
patient discomfort, improve treatment success rate,
increase the speed of recovery and limit cost."
The process begins with gathering computergenerated medical images (from CT, MRI or
Ultrasound). Using specific computer software, anatomical tissue is then identified
and a three-dimensional image is reconstructed as a virtual model. The virtual model
can then be turned into a physical model using a laser machine that draws the model
onto acrylic resin. Where the laser hits the resin, the resin solidifies.
Dr Diamantopoulos describes this as an integration of medical imaging, computer
aided design, and rapid manufacturing. "Other universities are working on medical
modelling, but we are the only ones bringing engineering design technologies into
the clinical environment," he says.
It currently takes a few minutes to create accurate three-dimensional virtual models
from the medical images, and a few hours for the model to be produced physically.
Dr Diamantopoulos expects the technology to advance rapidly so that a physical
model could be produced as quickly as a paper document is printed by a common
computer printer.

"Although doctors can get plenty of information from medical scans, having a model
would help them to have a more complete idea of what is going on with the patient,"
he points out. "For example we can reproduce an accurate model of a brain tumour,
which the neurosurgeon could use in order to know exactly which parts of the brain
are affected. In the future it will probably be possible to use bio-compatible models,
which could be used as implants."
The above work has led to the development of the Biomedical Modelling Unit and
current research is internationally recognised. It is being carried out in collaboration
with Materialise NV, a company based in Belgium that commercialises relevant
computer software. Research work is also ongoing with a number of universities,
hospitals and companies, as well as government organisations such as DSTL, a
research agency of the Ministry of Defence.
Notes for editors
Press Office contacts:
Jacqui Bealing or Peter Simmons,
University of Sussex,
Tel. 01273 678888,
Fax 01273 877456,
EMail: J.A.Bealing@sussex.ac.uk or P.J.Simmons@sussex.ac.uk.
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